This invention relates to the production of arylene sulfide polymers. In one of its aspects this invention relates to the production of branched arylene sulfide polymers and to the novel polymers produced. In another of its aspects this invention relates to the production of arylene sulfide polymers having lower melt flow by the use of a specific chemical compound in the reaction mixture than can be produced within the use of the specific chemical compound. In yet another of its aspects this invention relates to the use of polyhalo aromatic compounds having more than two halogen substituents per molecule in the reaction mixture in the production of arylene sulfide polymers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,129, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a method of producing polymers from polyhalo-substituted aromatics, alkali metal sulfides and polar organic compounds. The preparation of arylene sulfide polymers having reduced melt flow before the polymers are cured as compared to the arylene sulfide polymers known in the art as of particular interest since this reduced melt flow permits the use of the polymers without curing for end products requiring higher molecular weight, such as fiber production, for which most of the arylene sulfide polymers previously produced required curing.
It is therefore an object of this invention to produce arylene sulfide polymers of lower melt flow as compared to those polymers produced by prior art methods. It is also an object of this invention to produce branched arylene sulfide polymers of reduced melt flow as compared to arylene sulfide polymers produced by similar methods in the prior art.
Other aspects, objects and the various advantages of this invention will be apparent on reading the specification and the appended claims.